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Should I start Cedric Tillman, Josh Downs, Romeo Doubs for Week 3? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
It's never easy knowing whether you should start wide receivers who aren't the clear No. 1 option on their teams. Due to them often getting fewer targets than other receivers, their production can be streaky and very touchdown-dependent.
Since almost zero players in the NFL get touchdowns every week, it's very tough to predict when players will reach the end zone, so even for players that are a threat to score often, timing things right really isn't possible.
But WR2s and WR3s of teams are essential starts in fantasy leagues, because with 12 or more teams each having at least two WR start spots and one flex spot in PPR leagues, there aren't enough WR1s to go around. So let's dive into three players that aren't clear, obvious WR1s and make start/sit decisions for each for Week 3!
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Should I Start Cedric Tillman for Fantasy Football?
Right now Tillman is the second-most targeted wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. WR Jerry Jeudy, with his 16 targets so far, just barely edges out Tillman for the top spot. But it's No. 19 that's been Cleveland's highest-scoring wideout for fantasy football, as he's averaged 13.4 PPR fantasy points per game through two contests.
He's caught seven passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns, so nearly half his fantasy production has been on scores, though. The moment those dry up, he could have a very poor fantasy day. The Browns will face the Green Bay Packers in Week 3.
Cedric Tillman
The guy that had a drop turned INT last week was just on the receiving end on an INT turned drop
This is the most #Browns TD I’ve ever seen
pic.twitter.com/0IR09Mr8zl— Mac🦬 (@tha_buffalo) September 14, 2025
Tillman has popped in a few metrics so far, most notably his win rate vs. man coverage. That could be a result of matchups, though, and one of his touchdowns was off a tipped pass by a defender. Still, Green Bay has a good offense, and Cleveland could be forced to pass a lot early on.
Tillman is a fine start in deeper flex leagues based on his usage and the likelihood that the Browns will be forced into a pass-heavy game script.
Should I Start Josh Downs for Fantasy Football?
Downs (ankle) didn't practice with his team on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. He's a veteran, so it's possible that he's simply being given extra rest to get healthier before the game, or for load management in practice. Be sure to stay up to date on his aliment as we get closer to Sunday.
Aside from that, he had an increased role in his team's offense in Week 2, seeing eight targets, six catches and 51 yards compared to just two catches for 12 yards in Week 1. His playing time likely saw an increase because the Colts were in a more competitive game than the 33-8 blowout win against the Miami Dolphins in the season opener.
Tyler Warren and Josh Downs are practicing today.
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) September 18, 2025
Downs did return to practice on Thursday, so it seems like he has a good chance of playing. Having to look at game scripts to see whether it's worth starting him won't be fun if you drafted him, though. The team has plenty of other pass-catchers to work with, and playing time is absolutely crucial here.
Indianapolis will play the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. They're one of the league's worst offenses, with one of its worst-performing quarterbacks. This game could play out much like the Week 1 contest. I expect the Colts to win handily, so I'd be leaving Downs on the bench.
Should I Start Romeo Doubs for Fantasy Football?
There aren't any scenarios in which I'd want to be forced to start Doubs outside of deep leagues. The Packers offense spreads the ball out heavily based on schematic matchups for their wideouts. That's one reason it's so frustrating to have their wideouts in fantasy football.
Doubs caught just three passes for 28 yards in Week 2, but did get a touchdown grab. Still, his volume hasn't been very good. He's caught only five passes in his first two games. The injury to WR Jayden Reed (foot/clavicle) means there's less target competition, but it might not matter much.
When asked about the Browns playing heavy man-to-man coverage, Dontayvion Wicks said with a smile ⤵️
“It’s always fun when you know you got man” https://t.co/9dqZhZiNQl pic.twitter.com/okIY5RADTa
— Hogg (@HoggNFL) September 17, 2025
With the Packers, you really should look at schematic matchups to decide which receiver to start. WR Dontayvion Wicks is their best wideout against man coverage, which their opponent in Week 3, the Cleveland Browns, run at a very high rate.
Doubs doesn't fare quite as well against man coverage, so it's tough to recommend starting him. Doubs should continue to be a roster clogger as the season wears on.
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 3 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Cedric Tillman, Josh Downs, Romeo Doubs. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 3. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Cedric Tillman, Josh Downs, Romeo Doubs. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 3.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 3 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 3 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 3 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 3 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Cedric Tillman, Josh Downs, Romeo Doubs compared to others:
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